Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090195394 | CONSUMER ABUSE DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A technique is provided for detecting whether consumer abuse has occurred in an electronic device. In accordance with this technique, a system is provided for detecting the occurrence of a consumer abuse event and storing a record thereof. In one embodiment, the system provides one or more sensors coupled to an abuse detection circuitry for detecting the occurrence of an abuse event. The system may further provide a memory, wherein upon detecting an abuse event, the abuse detection circuitry may store a record of the abuse event into the memory. The system may further provide an interface by which a diagnostic device may access the memory and analyze the abuse event records to determine if an abuse event occurred in the electronic device. | 08-06-2009 |
20100146318 | BATTERY GAS GAUGE RESET MECHANISM - A gas gauge circuit has a power supply pin, a power return pin, power-on reset capability, and a communications signal pin. A reset control circuit is coupled between the power supply pin and the communications signal pin, or between the power return pin and the communications signal pin. The reset control circuit removes power to the gas gauge circuit in accordance with a control signal asserted on the communications signal pin. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 06-10-2010 |
20100312920 | CONSUMER ABUSE DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD - Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems, devices, and methods for detecting the occurrence of consumer abuse events in electronic devices. In one embodiment, a system includes one or more sensors coupled to an abuse detection sub-system for detecting the occurrence of an abuse event, wherein upon detecting an abuse event, a record of the abuse event is stored by the abuse detection sub-system. The system further provides a communication interface configured to provide a first mode of diagnostic communication and a second mode of non-diagnostic communication through a common input/output port. When using a diagnostic device, the diagnostic mode of communication may be enabled, thus allowing the diagnostic device to access consumer abuse event data stored by the abuse detection sub-system. | 12-09-2010 |
20110031985 | MECHANISMS FOR DETECTING TAMPERING OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An electronic device has a chassis, and a printed wiring board (PWB) having a hole. A fastener is installed in the hole thereby securing the PWB to the chassis. A pair of conductive traces is formed in the PWB. A cap, being an amount of conductive glue, covers a part of the fastener and fills an electrically insulating gap between the two traces, to thereby form a conductive path that connects the two traces. A sensing circuit is coupled to the traces, to detect a change in impedance of the path and signal a tamper event alert. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 02-10-2011 |
20110033056 | NOISE CANCELLATION FOR MICROPHONE-SPEAKER COMBINATIONS USING COMBINED SPEAKER AMPLIFIER AND REFERENCE SENSING - An audio host device has a connector having a speaker contact, a microphone contact, and a reference contact. The reference contact is shared by a microphone and a speaker. The reference contact is also directly coupled to a power return plane of the audio host device. A difference amplifier is provided, having a first cold input, a second cold input, and hot input. The first cold input is coupled to an output of the speaker amplifier, while the second cold input is coupled a sense point for the reference contact. The hot input is coupled to the microphone contact. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 02-10-2011 |
20110033060 | MODE SWITCHING NOISE CANCELLATION FOR MICROPHONE-SPEAKER COMBINATIONS USED IN TWO WAY AUDIO COMMUNICATIONS - An audio host device has an electrical interface having a speaker contact, a microphone contact, and a reference contact. The reference contact is shared by a microphone and a speaker. The reference contact is also directly coupled to a power return plane of the audio host device. A difference amplifier is provided, having a cold input and a hot input. The hot input is coupled to the microphone contact. A switched attenuator circuit is also provided that has first and second states. In the first state, the attenuator circuit couples a sense point of the reference contact to the cold input, while in the second state the cold input is isolated from the reference sense point. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 02-10-2011 |
20110033064 | Differential mode noise cancellation with active real-time control for microphone-speaker combinations used in two way audio communications - An audio host device has an electrical interface having a speaker contact, a microphone contact, and a reference contact. The reference contact is shared by a microphone and a speaker. The reference contact is also directly coupled to a power return plane of the audio host device. A difference amplifier is provided, having a cold input and a hot input. The hot input is coupled to the microphone contact. A variable attenuator circuit is also provided having an input coupled to receive a signal from a sense point for the reference contact, and an output coupled to the cold input of the difference amplifier. A controller has an output coupled to control the variable attenuator. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 02-10-2011 |
20110033065 | AUTOMATIC AND DYNAMIC NOISE CANCELLATION FOR MICROPHONE-SPEAKER COMBINATIONS - An audio host device has a headset electrical interface in which a reference contact is shared by a microphone and a speaker. A variable or programmable gain amplifier, PGA, has a signal input coupled to a sense point for the reference contact. A first difference amplifier has its inputs coupled to a microphone contact and the PGA through a first gain stage; a second difference amplifier has its inputs coupled to the microphone contact and to the output of the PGA, through a second gain stage having a different gain than the first gain stage; a third difference amplifier has its inputs coupled to the microphone contact and the output of the PGA through a third gain stage having a gain in between that of the first and second gain stages. A controller monitors outputs of the first and second difference amplifiers and changes a gain setting of the PGA. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 02-10-2011 |
20110221604 | EXTERNAL POWER SOURCE VOLTAGE DROP COMPENSATION FOR PORTABLE DEVICES - A portable electronic device has a connector with a first pin and a second pin, and a battery charging circuit having an input coupled to receive current through the second pin to charge a battery of the device. The portable device also has a controller to determine whether the connector is coupled to an external power source (EPS) having a power converter circuit that can provide the current. The controller on that basis drives the first pin to stimulate the power converter circuit to raise voltage on the second pin. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 09-15-2011 |
20120038374 | MECHANISMS FOR DETECTING EXPOSURE TO WATER IN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A component carrier has formed therein a water sensor, having a first patterned conductor piece formed in a metal layer of the component carrier and a bridge being an amount of water-soluble conductive glue filling an electrically insulating gap between the patterned conductor piece and another conductor in the carrier. This forms a conductive path between the patterned conductor piece and the another conductor. A sensing circuit is coupled to detect changes in impedance of the path. In another embodiment, a discrete component has a pair of terminals with a bridge being an amount of water-soluble conductive glue filling the electrically insulating gap between the terminals to form a conductive path whose impedance changes in response to coming into contact with a sufficient amount of water. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 02-16-2012 |
20120169433 | DIGITAL SIGNAL FILTER - A passive filter circuit filters an input signal to attenuate an undesired frequency. The passive filter circuit includes a first stage and a second stage. The input to the first stage is the input signal. The first stage includes a first inductor and a first branch coupled to the output of the first inductor. The first branch includes a first capacitor and a second inductor. The first stage is coupled to the second stage. The second stage includes a third inductor and a second branch coupled to the output of the third inductor. The second branch includes a second capacitor. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 07-05-2012 |
20120183159 | MODE SWITCHING NOISE CANCELLATION FOR MICROPHONE-SPEAKER COMBINATIONS USED IN TWO WAY AUDIO COMMUNICATIONS - An audio host device has an electrical interface having a speaker contact, a microphone contact, and a reference contact. The reference contact is shared by a microphone and a speaker. The reference contact is also directly coupled to a power return plane of the audio host device. A difference amplifier is provided, having a cold input and a hot input. The hot input is coupled to the microphone contact. A switched attenuator circuit is also provided that has first and second states. In the first state, the attenuator circuit couples a sense point of the reference contact to the cold input, while in the second state the cold input is isolated from the reference sense point. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 07-19-2012 |
20120200172 | AUDIO ACCESSORY TYPE DETECTION AND CONNECTOR PIN SIGNAL ASSIGNMENT - An electronic audio host device has an audio accessory connector with multiple pins. An ultrasonic test signal source has an output coupled to a first pin of the connector. A programmable switch circuit couples a second or third pin of the connector, to a ground of the audio host device. A controller measures a signal on one of the pins of the connector while the test signal source is on, and compares the measured signal to a predetermined, stored signature. The signature is associated with one of several different accessory plug pin assignments for the connector, which can be configured using the programmable switch circuit. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 08-09-2012 |
20120275101 | BATTERY GAS GAUGE RESET MECHANISM - A gas gauge circuit has a power supply pin, a power return pin, power-on reset capability, and a communications signal pin. A reset control circuit is coupled between the power supply pin and the communications signal pin, or between the power return pin and the communications signal pin. The reset control circuit removes power to the gas gauge circuit in accordance with a control signal asserted on the communications signal pin. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 11-01-2012 |
20120302293 | HAPTIC ALERT DEVICE HAVING A LINEAR VIBRATOR - A vibrator designed to be integrated into a portable electronic device as part of a haptic alert device has a linear electric motor that is coupled to actively drive a moveable weight in back-and-forth directions to produce the desired vibration. A lock mechanism has a restraining member that is biased into a lock position, which prevents the moveable weight from moving in the back-and-forth directions when the vibrator is inactive. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 11-29-2012 |
20130070930 | AUTO-CONFIGURING AUDIO OUTPUT FOR AUDIO PERFORMANCE AND FAULT DETECTION - An audio system has a connector with a signal pin that interfaces the audio system with an external device. An audio integrated circuit has a digital to analog converter (DAC) and an audio power amplifier having an input coupled to an output of the DAC and an output coupled to an output pin of the audio integrated circuit. Data storage contains stored instructions that program a processor to select an audio output mode of operation namely line-out mode or headphone mode. A configurable output conditioning circuit is coupled between the output pin of the audio integrated circuit and the signal pin of the connector. The conditioning circuit changes the output impedance that is presented at the signal pin, under control of the programmed processor when selecting the audio output mode of operation. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 03-21-2013 |
20130073295 | AUDIO CODEC WITH VIBRATOR SUPPORT - A dual channel audio coder decoder (codec) chip that has two output pins, which can be used to drive a pair of speakers in stereo mode, or a vibrator and a single speaker in mono mode. Each channel has its own DAC and audio power amplifier to receive an audio signal for driving a speaker. Each channel also has a variable signal generator to generate a vibrator signal for driving a vibrator. The DAC and variable signal generator outputs of each channel are input into a respective multiplexer. The multiplexer and the vibrator frequency are configured via an external digital communication interface. Other embodiments are also described. | 03-21-2013 |
20130082721 | MECHANISMS FOR DETECTING TAMPERING OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An electronic device has a chassis, and a printed wiring board (PWB) having a hole. A fastener is installed in the hole thereby securing the PWB to the chassis. A pair of conductive traces is formed in the PWB. A cap, being an amount of conductive glue, covers a part of the fastener and fills an electrically insulating gap between the two traces, to thereby form a conductive path that connects the two traces. A sensing circuit is coupled to the traces, to detect a change in impedance of the path and signal a tamper event alert. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 04-04-2013 |
20130099745 | EXTERNAL POWER SOURCE VOLTAGE DROP COMPENSATION FOR PORTABLE DEVICES - A portable electronic device has a connector with a first pin and a second pin, and a battery charging circuit having an input coupled to receive current through the second pin to charge a battery of the device. The portable device also has a controller to determine whether the connector is coupled to an external power source (EPS) having a power converter circuit that can provide the current. The controller on that basis drives the first pin to stimulate the power converter circuit to raise voltage on the second pin. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 04-25-2013 |
20130144464 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTEGRATING A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH A BICYCLE - Systems, methods, and devices are provided to sense unauthorized use of a vehicle. For example, an electronic device may include sensors to detect an operational parameter of a bicycle and communications circuitry to couple the electronic device to a second electronic device associated with user of the bicycle according to authorization information. Control circuitry may determine when the bicycle is in operation based at least in part on the detected operational parameter, identify whether the second electronic device is substantially within a communicative proximity of the electronic device when the bicycle is in operation, and generate an alert indicating unauthorized operation when the second electronic device is not identified as substantially within the communicative proximity of the electronic device. | 06-06-2013 |
20140003616 | Headset Impedance Detection | 01-02-2014 |